University of Dayton’s reach extends all over the city, but for many of the region’s most challenged students, one of its programs has changed lives.

The school’s Empowering Children with Hope and Opportunity, or ECHO program, has been a resource to help local Catholic schools cope with the many non-academic challenges their face. For 15 years the program has been helping teachers in the classroom with counseling, crisis intervention and mentoring that helps them reach their most challenged students.

ECHO Director Rhonda Mercs, who now leads a staff of 13, says the group makes a difference in the 14 local Catholic schools it visits over the week.

The staff are an extension of the teaching staff with specialized skills, helping with one-on-one counseling, and helping students who need intangible assistance to overcome barriers preventing them from succeeding.

Sometimes that means coordinating with doctors, counselors, parents, teachers and others in the child’s life inside and outside the classroom.

“They assist teachers who don’t have a lot of training in mental health,” Mercs said. “Observe in the class to see what the child’s behavior is, implement behavior programs and do family counseling.”

A family advocate, in the meantime, connects with parents to know what basic needs are being met, helping parents with applications, with their heat, shelter, uniforms, holiday outreach, whatever the family is in need of.

“What can you do in your classroom to help the teachers?” Mercs said. “Their plates are full. They can’t handle much more. We like to come in if the child is having a bad day. We will de-escalte the child. Do crisis intervention. Train teachers on mental illness”

UD explored the idea for several years, but gained footing once local Catholic schools saw enrollment reductions around 2006 and several closed. Some of these schools, especially in urban areas, have high poverty rates.

Susan Ferguson, director of University of Dayton, Center for Catholic Education, said it fits in with UD’s mission to bring social justice to the world.

“Catholic schools are established to ensure students reach their academic potential and a positive work life, but the other part is trying to get students to heaven,” she said. “A life where you understand you have gifts to give your community and you can be respected and return that respect. Marianism is about helping others to thrive and flourish.”

In doing this, UD is laying the ground work for the students’ spiritual development, she said. The idea was encouraged under former UD President Dan Curran, and now President Eric Spina has embraced it as well, as a part of his push to put UD forefront at solving social issues in the city.

With that edict, ECHO is could expand, she said.

“This legislation, the consciousness of what ECHO does might be brought to a national forum,” she said. “That would be a hope for where we want to go and how it’s a part of UD’s wanting to be a part of the communities we’re in.”